Herbert James Hall, MD

Herbert James Hall, MD
(1870–1923),
established a private sanatorium in Marblehead, Massachusetts, for the
treatment of nervous disorders. Hall believed that patients could gain esteem
and regain their health through productive work and that manual work would have
a “normalizing effect”; he called this a “work cure” for regulating life and
interests. He believed that crafts had a universal appeal. Hall later wrote
extensively in medical journals describing the therapeutic benefit of work
therapy. His most famous publications are The
Work of Our Hands: A Study of Occupations for Invalids
and Handicrafts for the Handicapped.

The 100 Influential Persons were nominated by the public and OTArchive Editorial Board and were selected by the editorial board based on criteria included on the nomination form. Questions and corrections can be sent to OTArchive@aota.org.

the 100 influential people

In honor of the Centennial, learn about 100 people who influenced occupational therapy’s 100 year history.